Polk County

‘I really didn’t believe it would happen’: Davenport teen realizes college dream thanks to scholarship

DAVENPORT, Fla. — Boston College has always been at the top of the list for 17-year-old Victoria Filippi of Davenport when she graduates high school. It’s a dream school she didn’t think she’d ever be accepted to.

“I think I spent a lot of time fearing rejection,” Filippi said. “I couldn’t get over it, and I couldn’t get past the idea that maybe I wasn’t good enough.”

But through good grades, determination and help from her family, counselors and teachers, Filippi was accepted to Boston College thanks to the Questbridge National College Match.

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It’s a scholarship program that helps talented, low-income students attend the nation’s best colleges and to support them to achieve success.

Filippi will receive a four-year scholarship worth more than $200,000 that covers tuition and fees, books, supplies, room and board and travel expenses.

“I really didn’t believe it would happen,” she said. “There were so many qualified and overqualified applicants. I really didn’t picture how much they would be covering until I saw it and I showed it to my family and we were all just astonished.”

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Out of the more than 18,000 students that applied, Filippi is one of about 1,500 students who were matched with one of the colleges they selected. She plans to major in biology with a minor in biology

“I think the way it’s change my life is that I’ve become more grateful toward my family, but also more grateful toward myself for not just quitting midway and just saying ‘Why bother?’ because that that ‘Why bother?’ mentality just limits you further.”

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Jeff Levkulich

Jeff Levkulich, WFTV.com

Jeff Levkulich joined the Eyewitness News team as a reporter in June 2015.

Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.